Professionals in educational and recreational settings work
hard to understand and address the problems faced by underserved
youth. Yet the dedicated people in these institutions are often
limited in what they can achieve because they tend to remain
within the confines of their own work environment rather than
sharing their expertise and resources.

Instead of accepting this as an unfortunate fact of life,
the coauthors of this book see the situation as an opportunity
to develop an approach in which the whole is far greater than
the sum of its parts. In Youth Development and Physical Activity:
Linking Universities and Communities, they draw on their
considerable teaching experience to present innovative new ways
to serve underserved youth.

The book describes practical strategies for breaking down
the walls between universities and communities so they can combine
their strengths to improve young people's lives. You'll find
a wealth of guidelines for creating physical activity programs
that instill a sense of social and personal responsibility, including
numerous real-life examples of successful programs.

Youth Development and Physical Activity: Linking Universities
and Communities is divided into four parts, each enriched
with the colorful "voices" and stories of real kids
and youth leaders who have put these ideas into practice:

Part I provides a sobering look at the challenges
today's young people face and introduces positive ways to improve
physical activity youth programs so they're meaningful in today's
world.

In Part II, you'll learn how to move from "how
it is" to "how it could be," using a breakthrough
model for working with kids and building programs. Here the book
provides a road map that shows the way for university students
and faculty to connect with youth in their communities through
service learning, internships, and other outreach programs

Part III spells out how to develop a variety of proven
youth physical activity programs-from adventure experiences and
Coaching Clubs to mentoring and teen parent programs. You'll
find many great ideas that work in virtually any setting, including
public schools, alternative schools, recreation programs, youth
service groups, and social agencies.

Part IV provides a variety of helpful tools for evaluating
programs and improving outcomes, as well as insights on how professionals
can develop the skills they need to respond to the changing demands
on youth leaders.

Written by professionals with a combined 70 years of experience
working with underserved youth, this book is must reading for
both professionals and organizations practicing in a world where
youth too often slip through the cracks. It provides a clear
and hopeful framework for improving the lives of kids as well
as the communities in which they live.

About the Authors

Don Hellison, PhD, is best known for his work with
underserved youth. He is a professor of kinesiology at the University
of Illinois at Chicago, where he is also the director of the
Urban Youth Leader Project. He is the author of numerous books,
including Teaching Responsibility through Physical Education.
Among the awards Dr. Hellison has received are the National Association
of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) Hall of Fame Award in
1999 and the International Olympic Committee President's Prize
in 1995. He earned his doctorate in physical education from The
Ohio State University.

Nick Cutforth, PhD, is a noted educator, author, and
researcher in the field of service learning and underserved youth.
As associate professor in the college of education at the University
of Denver, his duties include teaching courses in urban education.
Dr. Cutforth received the Latin American Research and Service
Agency's Bernie Valdez Education Award in 1997. He earned his
doctorate in curriculum, instruction, and evaluation from the
University of Illinois at Chicago.

James Kallusky, EdD, has earned a strong reputation
for his efforts teaching, directing, and researching physical
activity programs for underserved youth. In addition to his duties
as assistant professor in kinesiology and physical education
at California State University at Los Angeles, he is the executive
director for Youth Agency Administration Studies. He earned his
doctorate in physical education from the University of Northern
Colorado.

Tom Martinek, EdD, is a well-known scholar in the psychology
of physical education and director of Project Effort for Underserved
Youth. A professor of exercise and sport science at the University
of North Carolina at Greensboro, he has developed youth programming
and worked directly with underserved kids in the community. He
is the 1999 recipient of the Arthur Wilde Distinguished Alumni
Award from Boston University, where he earned his doctoral degree.
Dr. Martinek also was named University Teacher of the Year by
the North Carolina Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation
and Dance in 1993.

Melissa Parker, PhD, is an associate professor of kinesiology
and physical education at the University of Northern Colorado
and a prominent voice in the field of physical education. She
has developed service learning programs at several universities
and worked with children in a wide range of program settings,
from in-school physical education classes to before- and after-school
programs, outdoor adventure, and sports. She is also a coauthor
of Children Moving. Dr. Parker earned her doctorate in
curriculum and instruction from The Ohio State University.

Jim Stiehl, PhD, has dedicated the past 30 years to
bringing the needs of alternative kids to the forefront. A professor
and director of the school of kinesiology and physical education
at the University of Northern Colorado, he was named the Central
District Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation
and Dance Scholar of the Year in 1993. Dr. Stiehl is also coauthor
of the book Changing Kids' Games. He earned his doctorate
from the University of California at Los Angeles.

Chapter 4. Toward University-Community Collaboration
· Establishing a University Commitment to Underserved
Communities
· Integrating Experience in Community Programs Into University
· Coursework and Degree Programs
· Recommendations for Developing a University-Community
Focus
· A Final Word
· For Further Study

Chapter 6. In-School Programs
· The Context of Schools
· The School Program
· Evaluation of the Program
· For Further Study

Chapter 7. Extended Day Clubs
· Coaching Clubs and the Responsibility Model
· A Basketball Coaching Club
· The Energizers Club and the Responsibility Model
· Martial Arts Club and the Responsibility Model
· Extended Day Clubs and Youth Development
· For Further Study

Chapter 8. Alternative School Physical Education
· Visiting an Alternative In-School Physical Education
Program
· Visiting In-School Physical Education in a Charter School
· Conducting an Outdoor and Adventure Program in an Alternative
School
· The Teen Parent Program
· The Walkabout Program
· Conclusion
· For Further Study

Chapter 9. Mentor Programs
· What Is a Mentor?
· What Makes a Good Mentor?
· Being a Good Mentor
· How Kids Respond to Mentoring and Goal Setting
· Keeping Track of Mentoring Sessions
· Getting Started
· Final Thoughts
· For Further Study

Chapter 13. Program Outcomes
· Kids
· University Students
· College Professors
· Endings
· For Further Study

Epilogue: Challenges

References

Index

About the Authors

Audiences

Reference for physical educators; university faculty, students,
and administrators; youth service professionals; public school
administrators; and recreation leaders. Also a text for youth
leadership courses.